1946 Indian Chief rear axle alignment aiders AKA Three Blind Mice

[T. Cotten]

I was going to bring a copy of Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle to D-port, Folks,..

And a copy of his Motorcycle adventure,

But I cannot get my van serviced in time.

....Cotten

[DEEBS47Chief1991]

Ah yes, the Ol' Taser namesake. I wish you luck with your van.


Tom Swift electric rifle.jpg TomSwift10.jpg

[PaulCDF]

Well the saga continues ordered the Pro-Motion 08-0368
Overall length is about 25" and from my down tubes of the frame just above the brake and clutch pedals.
to center of the rear axle on each side of the motorcycle is about 42" So me thinks I will be building a "Cotten-like" trammel.
Live and learn . . . just don't forget the live part of the equation.

[T. Cotten]

The hard part about using a trammel, Folks,

Is that the machine must be rolled forward on a flat surface far enough to be certain the the rear is following the front, to square the front wheel to the rest of the machine, and then blocked up/held vertical for inspection and adjustment, without disturbing the alignment.

Even if it must be repeated for certainty, it's still better than a bent coathanger.

...Cotten

[tfburke3]

Ah yes, the Ol' Taser namesake. I wish you luck with your van.


Tom Swift electric rifle.jpg TomSwift10.jpg

I recently watched a Glenn Curtis youtube vid where they said Tom Swift was loosely based on his life.
Tom

[DEEBS47Chief1991]

He was pretty Bad *ss.

Glenn-H-Curtiss-The-Vintagent-Portrait-820x1024.jpg Glenn-H-Curtiss-The-Vintagent-V8.jpg

[PaulCDF]

Hobo Joe and his half-a**ed trammel

When last we saw Hobo Joe he was dumpster diving in a dilapidated out building of an in-laws.

Found an old CB antenna?
47 inch long whip about 1/8 inch in diameter with 2 and 1/4 inch long base threaded for 3/8 16 tpi.
Cut, drilled and tapped a piece of scrap metal this would be my base/hook.

Then took the pointer from a Motion Pro Wheel alignment tool recommended by Brother Deebs:
I had to drill the slide hole a little larger.
I also used my little lathe and center drilled the pointer for a longer pointer "nose".
I didn't get too fancy just fitted and gorilla glued in place.

Now with this I can quickly check that my rear wheel is running square after chain adjustments.

I am sure someone smarter will come up with a system using laser pointers but this contraption makes routine maintenance a bit easier for me.




Hobo Joe IMG_1102[1].JPG


Hobo Joe IMG_2452[1].JPG



Hobo joe IMG_2454[1].JPG




Hobo Joe IMG_2457[1].JPG

[T. Cotten]

Hobo Joe and his half-a**ed trammel

When last we saw Hobo Joe he was dumpster diving in a dilapidated out building of an in-laws.

Found an old CB antenna?
47 inch long whip about 1/8 inch in diameter with 2 and 1/4 inch long base threaded for 3/8 16 tpi.
Cut, drilled and tapped a piece of scrap metal this would be my base/hook.

Then took the pointer from a Motion Pro Wheel alignment tool recommended by Brother Deebs:
I had to drill the slide hole a little larger.
I also used my little lathe and center drilled the pointer for a longer pointer "nose".
I didn't get too fancy just fitted and gorilla glued in place.

Now with this I can quickly check that my rear wheel is running square after chain adjustments.

I am sure someone smarter will come up with a system using laser pointers but this contraption makes routine maintenance a bit easier for me.

You lost me, Paul,..

I can't see anything like a trammel, which should be a rigid as possible;

Nor even make heads nor tails of your pics;

Are you squaring the rear wheel to the front wheel, or the chassis? Thanks.

....Cotten

[PaulCDF]

You lost me, Paul,..

Tom
Please see first post page one.
Squaring rear wheel to straight edge clamped across front down tubes:

BACKGROUND: When aligning my rear axle after tire change or drive chain adjustment or in my case some speedometer drive work I follow the method outlined in Kiwi Indians' Mike Tomas Riders Instruction book with success:

1. Clamp a 24" or longer straight edge across the down tubes of the frame just above the brake and clutch pedals.
2. Measure the distance from the straight edge to center of the rear axle on each side of the motorcycle.
3. Adjust the rear axle forward or backward until the measurement on each side is equal.
4. Check and adjust the drive chain tension as necessary."

[T. Cotten]

You lost me, Paul,..

Tom
Please see first post page one.

I just did, Paul!

And with all due respect to Mike and All,

A simple trammel don't need no clamps, or Neodymium Magnets and Various Length Roofing Nails, although it does need the front wheel tracking straight.

My confusion is simple: What if the frame is tweaked?

The rear wheel needs to follow the front, even if the chassis is wavy-gravy.

....Cotten

[PaulCDF]

Well Yes Certainly Tom

I can 'see' how a true trammel would be superior to my take on a Pro-Motion alignment tool.

Especially if the bike was not running straight, or had been dropped.

Here my bike is holding a straight line fine (or at least it did before being put up last season).

And again you are correct the magnets and roofing nails proved to be crap.

Mike Tomas' system using a steel tape measure has worked well for me for ROUTINE maintenance until
I lost he central vision in my dominant eye and I am just not confident 'sighting' a tape using my left eye
yet (Although I did get a deer at 80 years but that was using a scope to my left eye).

I did look at the pictures of the true Trammel you provided and was considering making one
but could not figure out how you constructed it?

If you would be kind enough to consider schooling me on specifics:

Pipe/conduit? diameter?

How pointers are made?

I would appreciate it.

Thank in Advance.

Paul

[T. Cotten]

It was a crappy pic, no doubt Paul,

I no longer have access to a camera, so let me try to describe it;
The size of the conduit doesn't matter as long as it doesn't flex, and your clamped pointers are adjustable upon it.

As I mentioned, I used two small mirror mounts; The pointers were two pieces of ~5/16" rod threaded for nuts on either side of the clamps, and the end turned to a point to center on the axles. The pointers must be long enough to clear crashbars, etc.

With the chassis rolled forward enough to track the front wheel straight, I usually set the kickstand down upon a block to keep the machine as upright as possible.
Then the pointers could be adjusted center to center on one side of the machine, to be then compared to the other side. The rear is adjusted to be parallel to the front.

Harleys were the worst of course; The frames could be visibly bent, but rideable.

.....Cotten

[PaulCDF]

Thanks Cotten

I am copying the above and will use in future to make a proper Tramel

Thanks again

Have a Blessed Easter

Paul